Diane Jessie Miller - Film Writer and Director

Sunday, 6 November 2011

All through the process of ‘One by One’ the aim of the project was to get people talking. To get YOU involved. Kind of “by the people, for the people”, cheesy I know.

I think and feel a change is needed so that we can be more aware of ourselves and to create a better future, instead of greed fuelled, capitalist, dumbing down existence that most of us just meander through (note I use the word “US”).

It has been my experience, and in no way is it fact, that most people you talk to about making a change or standing up change, see you as a nut job (for want of a better word) or struggling their shoulders and say “it’ll never happen”. But why? Clearly people are beginning to wake up to possibilities, otherwise there would be no “occupy” movement happening all over the world, and they, us, you and me, want to do something about it.

‘One by One’, by its very nature, was created to put a drama and entertainment face on the very serious problems we have before us. To hopefully encourage the ones that think I’m a “nut job communist” to challenge the ideas I put forward – Because if they question me and my ideas then by default they will have to “question everything” about the current economical and political systems we’re part of.Images of ‘The Matrix’ growing fields spring to mind.

I would like these people; in fact I would like every person to watch ‘One by One’, but more than that I want them to NEED to see it. Anticipating its release, like a JJ Abrams fan does, craving it, being impatient to see it. So without millions of pounds to through at a marketing campaign (especially when I feel the money system is completely flawed)how do I get people so interested in ‘One by One’ that they literally can’t wait to see it.

“How do you make ‘One by One’ a Cult Classic before it’s released?”

Suggestions??*

* You can email me privately if you’d rather not discuss your ideas with the rest of the world just yet , diane@boilingfrogfilms.co.uk

Thursday, 3 November 2011

8 days… well more like 48 hours, but all in all 8 days was all it took to know my heart was home and my spirit was soaring, and to put pen to paper and be free.

But I’m not the first to see this, feel this or be part of this. Oscar Wilde and C.S. Lewis had Ireland get their creative juices flowing – creating masterpieces such as the Chronicles of Narnia.

I’m not saying that I’ve managed to write a masterpiece (remembering if there’s nothing worth throwing away, then there’s nothing worth keeping), I’m simply saying that if by magic imagination was engaged and my pen flowed freely across the page.

So what is the magic that Ireland has – was it the mountains that stand in triumph almost shoulder to shoulder. Or the Lock and the way it breaths life in and sometimes out, the sea at Cranfield that seamlessly washed on to the shore making it sparkle in the wintery sun. Or the myths and legends that are buried in the foundations of the culture. Or was it the music that effortlessly engulfed you from the beautiful, heartfelt and honest songs from Nathan Ball to the Anthematic songs of tragedy, life and love that seeps into your soul from “Idle Hands”. These songs that don’t just take you on a journey of discovery but make you part of that journey. The indescribable beauty and heart of this band as they invited me, a stranger, into recording studio at Narrow Waters Recording Studio (I just happened to be there visiting friends) to share this private and humbling moment as they pieced together and added the final touches to their debut album “Love, Peace, Lies and Melon Collie”. Or was it the people, that take you under their wing leaving history and prejudice behind them in order to share ideas, warmth and laughter. Or was it all of this. A heady mix of magical perfection that makes it the ideal place to create. To write. To breathe. To Live.

8 days – 8 days was all it took to know my heart was home and my spirit was soaring, and to put pen to paper and be free.

Monday, 10 October 2011

Is it the classic story of ‘once they have our money they can’t take it back’?! Or does the film director/producer feel that ‘that’ trailer is a true representation of the project?!

Before I begin, I want to say at no point am I putting this film down. I enjoyed it, I really did, yet I feel quite often that trailers lead us to think and feel one way, when it is in fact the film is doing something different.

CATFISH is a documentary about finding love or meeting people on the interest, mainly Facebook and getting to know them and forming an attachment before you meet them.

Maybe it just me, but I felt from this trailer that there would be some kind of bigger twist to this film. The music, the edit, the direction, the quotes, all lead me to believe this was going to be the case, not another “Blair Witch” type film but a “The Last Broadcast”. I stumbled across “The Last Broadcast” late one night whilst I couldn’t sleep and if you haven’t seen it, I would suggest that you watch it, but don’t read the synopsis, or anything about it and especially don’t talk to anyone about it first (some people can give things away without realising it), just experience it for yourself.

All this being said, I felt that the film was beautifully and truthfully put together and has a real moral to it; one that shouldn’t be ignored.People we meet online (most of us have done it) are not always what they appear to be. Just because YOU may be honest, doesn’t mean they will be. CATFISH brings to the surface our modern Western society and how we focus so much of our time on “social media networks” such as Facebook. I’m as guilty as the next person, but what this film beautifully highlights is the hurt and embarrassment when a person has opened their heart, hopes and dreams, and shown a glimpse of their soul to a stranger thinking they are getting this in return, only to have the carpet, floorboards, and foundations bulldozed from underneath them. I think this is perhaps bullying in the cruellest form, toying with persons’ emotions and twisting their view on reality.

But I go off point (as I so often do). My point or even my question is this: Am I the only person who finds this annoying? Obviously I don’t want the trailer to give everything away (this sometimes happens too), but equally I do not want a trailer to say it will take me down one path only to throw me down a mountain.

So I'm a writer, director and teacher. I currently teach part time, and this little job gives me the freedom (and 12 weeks holiday a year) to be able follow other pursuits. Pursuits, I'm planning (and a lot of hoping of course) that will give me the freedom to give up teaching. My current project is 'One by One' (www.onebyonethemovie.com) which you'll here me talk about as we're about to finish filming. This is my first feature film that I've written and directed (its actually my first film writing and directing shhh don't tell anyone). But I won't say anymore here or I'll run out of things to blog about... and that is me as you currently find me! But I'm sure you'll find more out about me as we go...

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About Me

Hey all, I'm Diane. So I'm a writer, director and teacher. I currently teach part time, and this little job gives me the freedom (and 12 weeks holiday a year) to be able follow other pursuits. Pursuits, I'm planning (and a lot of hoping of course) that will give me the freedom to give up teaching. My current project is 'One by One' (www.onebyonethemovie.com) which you'll here me talk about as we're about to finish filming. This is my first feature film that I've written and directed (its actually my first film writing and directing shhh don't tell anyone). But I won't say anymore here or I'll run out of things to blog about... and that is me as you currently find me! But I'm sure you'll find more out about me as we go...